Rest Days

At a recent triathlon day camp I attended (see Fast Track Triathlon Camp), I learned about a 4th sport in triathlon - rest days. I have to say that triathlon, to me, is five sports including nutrition as the fifth. That said, rest is something we all need but don't really appreciate. Lara Brown, a professional triathlete, discussed with us the importance of true rest days for healing and growth. Our bodies respond to stressors by adapting, however if we don't give them the opportunity to adapt via rest, stagnation and even injury can occur. True rest days do not include those work days where you skip a workout, since all stressors need to be eliminated to fully benefit from the rest day. These include mental, physical, and emotional stressors. True, we can't eliminate all stressors from our lives, but for 1 day every 2 weeks or so, you should take it completely easy - no workout, no work, and no craziness. In addition, try to add a mini-taper to your routine for one week per month where you lighten up on distance, volume, intensity, or all of the above. I know it's hard for us type-A folks, but it's worth it.